1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus, and particularly to such an ink-jet recording apparatus that can record an image on each of opposite sides or surfaces of a recording sheet.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known an ink-jet recording device including a sheet feeder that feeds a recording sheet; and an ink-jet recording head that ejects droplets of ink toward the recording sheet, so as to record a desirable image on the recording sheet. The sheet feeder includes a pair of upstream-side rollers that are provided on an upstream side of the recording head along a sheet-feed path and that nip the recording sheet and, when the upstream-side rollers are rotated in a forward direction, the recording sheet is fed in a downstream direction along the sheet-feed path. The sheet feeder additionally includes a pair of downstream-side rollers that are provided on a downstream side of the recording head along the sheet-feed path. After an image has been recorded on the recording sheet, the recording sheet is nipped by the downstream-side rollers and, when the downstream-side rollers are rotated in the forward direction, the recording sheet is discharged out of the ink-jet recording device.
There is also known such an ink-jet recording device that can record an image on each of opposite sides or surfaces of a recording sheet. More specifically described, first, when a recording sheet is fed in a downward direction by rotation of a pair of upstream-side rollers in a forward direction, an image is recorded on one surface of the recording sheet by an ink-jet recording head. After the recording of image on the one surface of the recording sheet ends, the pair of upstream-side rollers are rotated in a backward direction so as to feed the recording sheet in an upstream direction. Then, the recording sheet is reversed upside down by a sheet reversing device. Subsequently, when the recording sheet is fed again in the forward direction, another image is recorded on the other surface of the recording sheet. In particular, in a so-called “no-margin” printing mode in which no margins are left on a recording sheet, droplets of ink are ejected onto the recording sheet, up to a trailing end thereof. Therefore, at a timing when the recording of image on one surface of the recording sheet ends, the recording sheet is nipped by only a pair of downstream-side rollers because the trailing end thereof has been passed through, or released from, the pair of upstream-side rollers.
Meanwhile, at a timing immediately after the recording of image on one surface of the recording sheet ends, the ink droplets ejected onto the trailing-end portion of the recording sheet have not dried up. Therefore, if the recording sheet is fed in the upstream direction and is nipped by the pair of upstream-side rollers, the ink may be adhered to the upper one of the two upstream-side rollers, or the image recorded on the upper surface of the recording sheet may be distorted. To solve these problems, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-331400 or its corresponding U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004-207708A discloses an ink-jet recording device employing a separating means that separates two upstream-side rollers from each other when a recording sheet is fed in an upstream direction, and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-224057 discloses an ink-jet recording device employing a stopping means for temporarily stopping a recording sheet for a pre-determined time duration in which ink droplets ejected onto a recording sheet can dry up.